Cruise lines in Palma: who is based here and what boarding is like

If you are looking for cruises from Palma de Mallorca, the short answer is that a handful of cruise lines dominate the departures and almost all of them sell in English or German. This page does not rate the ships, which we haven't sailed on: it scores how useful Palma is as a port of embarkation for a traveller and tells you what to expect on the day you board.

Which cruise lines sail from Palma

Marella Cruises is TUI's UK cruise line. In summer the Marella Discovery 2 is based in Palma with two 7-night itineraries: one via Olbia, La Spezia, Villefranche, Toulon and Palamós, the other via Palamós, Propriano, Civitavecchia, Salerno and Palermo. The Marella Explorer calls at Palma on Saturdays in August.

TUI Cruises, with its Mein Schiff fleet, is a separate brand aimed at the German market. Don't confuse it with Marella just because both carry the TUI name. In summer the Mein Schiff Flow runs 7-night cruises starting and ending in Palma, with calls such as Civitavecchia, Ajaccio and Marseille, or Tangier, Málaga and Barcelona.

AIDA, also German, is the third big line based in Palma: in August the AIDAcosma (5,210 berths) docks every Saturday at around 04:00 and leaves at around 22:00. The AIDAstella calls here too.

Other lines call every week in season: MSC (the MSC Grandiosa, on Fridays), Costa (the Costa Pacifica, on Tuesdays), Royal Caribbean (Legend of the Seas, on Mondays) and Norwegian (Norwegian Dawn). A port call doesn't mean you can board in Palma: if you want to start here with MSC or Costa, check with the line that the sailing allows embarkation here before you book.

In October, a specialist cruise search site counted 51 departures from Palma by 16 cruise lines, led by TUI Cruises, AIDA, Norwegian, Marella and MSC. That figure mixes embarkations and passing calls.

What boarding in Palma is like

First things first: ask which terminal you board at. Estacions Marítimes 1 to 4 are on the Muelle de Poniente, next to the ferry terminals; 5 and 6 are on the Dic de l'Oest, by Sant Carles castle, and take the biggest ships. We cover the whole port in our guide to Palma cruise port.

You can spot boarding days by the timetable: the ship arrives in the small hours and leaves at night. Give yourself plenty of time.

Tourist tax for cruise passengers

The tourist tax for cruise passengers is currently €2 per person per night from May to October and €0.50 from November to April. Under-16s don't pay. Rates can change, so check with your cruise line what you will be charged.

How many cruise ships Palma allows

Palma already limits cruise ships in port to three at a time, with only one carrying more than 5,000 passengers. The Govern (Balearic government), the city council and the cruise lines have signed a new agreement for ships of 500 berths or more, applying to the 2027 to 2031 seasons: at most three cruise ships at a time, only one of more than 5,000 berths, and 8,500 berths a day as a weekly average. From June to September in 2027, 2028 and 2029 that cap drops to 7,500. Because it is an average, some days go over it: in August there was one with almost 11,900 berths. All the lines on this page signed the agreement; the list is on the Govern's page about the agreement, which also publishes the calls each month.

To see which ships are in today, use the "Ships in port" page of the port authority or its Posidonia SmartPort app. We explain it in our review of the Port of Palma.

What to do in Palma before or after your cruise

With a free day, the EMT 1 bus drops you at Plaça d'Espanya, where the Sóller train leaves from, or at the Passeig Marítim – Auditòrium stop, next to the jetties for the bay's catamarans. If you only have a few hours, the cathedral and the old town are close at hand; more ideas in things to do in Palma.

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What travellers say

We don't rate the ships or summarise their reviews: they depend on the specific ship and on the market each line sells to. For that, read the reviews of the ship and the exact sailing on the cruise line's website. What we can tell you is what is worth knowing about the port: ask which terminal, leave in good time and don't count on the water bus.

How to book and alternatives

Cruises are booked with the cruise line or a travel agent; they are not GetYourGuide activities. If what you want is a day at sea without a cabin, see short cruises from Palma, a sunset boat trip or our boat trip comparison.